A Major University Wants To Improve Its Tarnished Image

A Major University Would Like To Improve Its Tarnished Image Following

A major university would like to improve its tarnished image following a large on-campus scandal. Its marketing department develops a short television commercial and tests it on a sample of n = 10, the first ten students who entered a housing commons area who agreed to participate. Attitudes about the university are measured with a short questionnaire, both before and after viewing the commercial. Attitudes were on a scale of 0 – 20, which higher numbers reflect better attitudes. Use the provided data to examine whether the commercial improved the university’s image. The data are as follows: Person X1 (before) X2 (after) A B C D E F G H I J

Paper For Above instruction

Analysis of the Commercial’s Impact on Student Attitudes

The reputation of a university is a vital aspect influencing student enrollment, community perception, and overall institutional prestige. When scandals tarnish this image, universities often implement targeted marketing strategies to repair and enhance their public perception. One effective approach involves using media campaigns, such as television commercials, to sway attitudes positively. This paper examines whether a newly developed commercial successfully improved student perceptions of a university following a scandal, based on pre- and post-viewing attitude data collected from a sample of students.

The context involves a major university that faced negative publicity due to a scandal, prompting its marketing department to test a short television commercial designed to revise student opinions positively. A sample of ten students was chosen instantly as they entered a housing commons area, and their attitudes towards the university were assessed both before and after viewing the commercial. The attitude scores ranged from 0 to 20, with higher scores indicating more favorable opinions. The data provided includes paired scores for each student before and after exposure to the commercial.

Methodology

This study employs a paired sample t-test to evaluate whether the television commercial had a statistically significant impact on students’ attitudes toward the university. The paired t-test is suitable because it compares two related samples: the same individuals' attitudes before and after viewing the commercial. The null hypothesis (H0) states that the commercial had no effect on attitudes, indicated by a mean difference of zero, while the alternative hypothesis (H1) suggests that the commercial improved attitudes, indicated by a positive mean difference.

Data Overview

The data collected include pairs of attitude scores for ten students:

• Person A: Before = X1, After = X2
• Person B: Before = X1, After = X2
• Person C: Before = X1, After = X2
• Person D: Before = X1, After = X2
• Person E: Before = X1, After = X2
• Person F: Before = X1, After = X2
• Person G: Before = X1, After = X2
• Person H: Before = X1, After = X2
• Person I: Before = X1, After = X2
• Person J: Before = X1, After = X2

(Note: The actual numerical data for each person’s before and after scores were supposed to be provided, but as they are omitted here, we will assume sample data for illustrative purposes in the analysis.)

Results and Analysis

Given the data, the first step involves calculating the differences in attitudes for each individual (After - Before). The mean and standard deviation of these differences are then computed to carry out the t-test. Assuming sample data (which should be replaced with actual data), the calculations proceed as follows:

Suppose the scores are as follows:

The mean difference (D̄) is calculated as the sum of all differences divided by 10, and the standard deviation (s) is computed accordingly. Using these, the t-statistic is calculated as t = D̄ / (s / √n). Comparing this t-value to the critical t-value at a specified significance level (e.g., α = 0.05) determines if the increase in attitudes is statistically significant.

Discussion

Based on the hypothetical data and analysis, suppose the calculated p-value is less than 0.05. This would lead to rejecting the null hypothesis, concluding that the commercial had a significant positive effect on students' attitudes towards the university. Conversely, if the p-value exceeds 0.05, we fail to reject the null hypothesis, indicating no statistically significant impact of the commercial.

It is important to consider limitations such as the small sample size, which affects the generalizability of the findings. Future studies should include larger and more diverse samples to validate these preliminary results. Additionally, repeated testing over extended periods could offer insights into the lasting impact of such marketing interventions.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this examination demonstrates the importance of rigorous statistical testing when evaluating marketing strategies aimed at reputation management. The paired sample t-test provides an effective method to assess whether a commercial can meaningfully influence student perceptions in a measurable, statistically significant way. If proven effective, such campaigns can be strategically employed to repair and bolster institutional image after negative incidents.

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